Literature and Poetry
A Review of an Oliver Sachs Book, Musicophilia: "We humans are a musical species no less than a linguistic one"
Julia Sneden reviews: Sacks quotes a letter from a woman whose father was nearly a hundred years old, and had begun to lose his grip on reality. She provided him with a CD player, and when his mind began to wander, she would "put in a beloved piece of classical music, press the 'play' button and watch the transformation". "My father’s world became logical and it became clear. He could follow every note... There was no confusion here, no missteps, no getting lost, and, most amazing, no forgetting..." Dr. Sacks says: "Once one has seen such responses, one knows there is still a self to be called upon, even if music, and only music, can do the calling." more »
Culture Watch Mystery Reviews: Female Sleuths, Violent Crimes and Exotic Cultures
Serena Nanda Reviews: The mysteries take place in the diverse and complex societies of Jedda, Saudi Arabia; Capetown, South Africa; and the Happy Valley in Kenya. Race, class, ethnicity, tribal and gender identities all play important roles in both the crimes and the investigations. The deep cultural contexts of the crimes are not dull academic explanations but subtle, authentic and fascinating descriptions. Central to each of these novels are women investigators, some official and some not, whose individual personalities and interactions with the local 'police cultures' add an extra dimension of interest and suspense to the stories. more »
4th of July Scout Report: Retraction Watch, Slate's Audio Book Club, Plant Lovers, Genealogists Resources, Boston Massacre Perspectives and Poughkeepsie Regatta
25 Years of Hubble Space Telescope; finding and using health statistics has become requisite for a number of careers; biographies of women who have made contributions to fields as diverse as chemistry, primatology, biophysics, and astronomy; distinctive literary titles with expert book lovers from around the country; retracted papers in a wide variety of fields, some due to fraud, others just to mistakes in experiments or the publishing process; "Start Your Family Research" section; 1940s knitting patterns and other interesting sites. more »
Rabbits In Waistcoats and Playing Card Gardeners; A World of Logical Nonsense: Alice in Wonderland at the Morgan
Alice became a publishing sensation, as the combination of text and illustration brought to life a story that has endured for 150 years. Lewis Carroll's pseudonym is derived from the author's real name, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, by way of Latin: Charles >Carolus>Carroll; Lutwidge>Ludovicus>Lewis. The show includes the original manuscript of Alice as well as original correspondence, unique drawings, handcolored proofs, rare editions, vintage photographs, and important objects associated with the story — some never before exhibited. more »